December 12, 2022

🌻 The Week in Botany December 12, 2022

I’ve been making notes during the week of the jobs and PhD positions I’ve spotted and adding them to the website. It’s made putting together the Careers section of the newsletter much faster. If you want to see what jobs will be in next week’s newsletter before it’s sent, you can get a preview at the Jobs section of Botany One.

Next week will be the last issue of the Week in Botany for 2022. If you have anything you want announced before the New Year, now would be the time to send it to me. I’ve no plans to go anywhere over the break, but some time away from the computer would be good.

Until next week, take care.

Alun (webmster@botany.one)

On Botany One

A quick Mastodon migration guide for Twitter botanists
People are looking to leave Twitter, but where can they go to?

Your lawn can identify the traces of vehicle pollution
Mobile and plant-based measurements of fossil fuel CO2 can help quantify decarbonization progress in cities.

Looking for a nice unresolved botanical mystery?
A manuscript from Renaissance Italy (?) has baffled researchers for over a century.

Jet lagged plants pave the way to first digital plant
Scientists have made a significant step towards building the world’s first digital plant by developing a sophisticated computational model which has also solved one of the most enduring plant science mysteries—the role of the biological clock.

Herbivores munch the most helpful trees in tropical forests
Herbivory is a key factor in controlling nitrogen limitation and carbon sequestration by tropical forests affected by climate change.

News & Views

Researchers discover a master regulator of plant immunity
The demonstration that a regulatory protein linked to stress responses in plants also serves as a master switch for anti-pathogen immunity could help breeders develop more pest-resistant and climate-resilient crops.

The Difference Between Plant Food and Fertilizer
Why using the terms interchangeably isn't accurate.

Forest wildflowers and their overstory trees are changing with climate, but not always keeping pace
In North America, wildflowers called spring ephemerals are losing the window in which they can grow. But forest communities on other continents are seeing different trends.

Oldest DNA yet sequenced shows mastodons once roamed a warmer Greenland
DNA left behind during a warm period is viable 2 million years later.

Disappearing plants jeopardize a green future
Nearly 800 plant species have disappeared since the 18th century, while thousands more are considered functionally extinct – no longer playing a role in their environment, or are so rare they are no longer able to reproduce. See also: Why plants matter

How daredevil drones find nearly extinct plants hiding in cliffs
Ben Nyberg stood on a knife-edge ridge along Hawaii’s Na Pali Coast, his eyes scouring the leafy recesses of the neighboring red-rock ridges. It was quiet, if not for a faint buzzing of a drone flying among flocks of curious white-tailed tropicbirds. Nyberg steered the drone closer toward the opposing ridge, scanning the iPad in his hands, which acted as a viewfinder. Then, he saw it: Wilkesia hobdyi.

How Seychelles ocean plants could help tackle climate change
A study published in the Royal Society's flagship biological research journal says seagrasses capture carbon at a rate 35 times quicker than rainforests. If undisturbed, they can hold carbon for thousands of years, far longer than terrestrial plants. They thereby play the role of a natural carbon sink.

Bunkered ex situ plant conservation and páramo biodiversity farms
As anthropogenic pressures on biodiversity mount, plant species conservation increasingly requires the integration of a variety approaches, including ex situ conservation: the maintenance of populations in intensively managed living collections. Conventional seed banking is commonly regarded as a particularly effective and efficient method of ex situ conservation, because a large number of seeds representing many species can be stored for long periods in relatively small spaces at seemingly low cost. It entails drying seeds to 15% relative humidity and storing them at −20 °C. For some “exceptional” species that cannot be easily represented in conventional seed banks, cryopreservation and associated methods are seen as good choices. In contrast, living collections of whole growing plants are often seen as relatively inefficient, requiring more space and care. A particular problem with seed banks and cryopreservation projects, however, is that they may suffer from a “bunkered” conception of biodiversity conservation.

‘48 Hours’ reveals how Missouri Botanical Garden scientists helped convict a killer
Scientists from the Missouri Botanical Garden not only work to save local and worldwide flora, but they also helped convict a Missouri killer. The scientists compared juniper needles near the victim’s remains and on the suspect’s muddy hiking boots, matched them, and tied the suspect to the crime.

Scientific Papers

Extensive somatic nuclear exchanges shape global populations of the wheat leaf rust pathogen Puccinia triticina
Non-sexual processes such as somatic nuclear exchange are postulated to play a role in the diversity of clonally reproducing dikaryotic rust fungi but have been difficult to detect due to the lack of genome resolution between the two haploid nuclei. Sperschneider et al. examined three nuclear-phased genome assemblies of Puccinia triticina, which causes wheat leaf rust disease. They found that the most recently emerged Australian lineage is derived by nuclear exchange between two pre-existing lineages, which originated in Europe and North America.

Biological and Molecular Components for Genetically Engineering Biosensors in Plants
In this review, Liu et al. summarize the framework for engineering different types of GEPBs. They then highlight representative validated biological components for building plant-based biosensors, along with various applications of plant-based biosensors in basic and applied plant science research.

Producing fast and active Rubisco in tobacco to enhance photosynthesis
Chen et al. report the engineering of a Form 1A Rubisco from the proteobacterium Halothiobacillus neapolitanus in Escherichia coli and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) chloroplasts without any cognate chaperones. The native tobacco gene encoding Rubisco large subunit was genetically replaced with H. neapolitanus Rubisco (HnRubisco) large and small subunit genes. We show that HnRubisco subunits can form functional L8S8 hexadecamers in tobacco chloroplasts at high efficiency, accounting for ∼40% of the wild-type tobacco Rubisco content.

A hotspot of lichen diversity and lichenological research in the Alps: the Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino Natural Park (Italy)
A checklist of 916 lichenised taxa is reported from the Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino Natural Park and its surroundings (Trentino-Alto Adige, N Italy), based on 7351 records from: (a) 72 literature sources, (b) eight public and private herbaria and (c) field observations by some of the authors. The study area appears as a hotspot of lichen diversity, hosting 30.1% of the lichen biota of the Alps in a territory that has 0.064% of their total surface area. This is mainly due to its high climatical, geological and orographic heterogeneity, but also to the long history of lichenological exploration, that started in the 19th century with Ferdinand Arnold and is still ongoing.

A 2-million-year-old ecosystem in Greenland uncovered by environmental DNA
Kjær et al. report an ancient environmental DNA (eDNA) record describing the rich plant and animal assemblages of the Kap København Formation in North Greenland, dated to around two million years ago. The record shows an open boreal forest ecosystem with mixed vegetation of poplar, birch and thuja trees, as well as a variety of Arctic and boreal shrubs and herbs, many of which had not previously been detected at the site from macrofossil and pollen records.

Widespread herbivory cost in tropical nitrogen-fixing tree species
Barker et al. examine whether herbivory by animals is responsible for limiting symbiotic nitrogen fixation in tropical forests. They evaluate whether nitrogen-fixing trees experience more herbivory than other trees, whether herbivory carries a substantial carbon cost, and whether high herbivory is a result of herbivores targeting the nitrogen-rich leaves of fixers.

Rewilding should be central to global restoration efforts
Rewilding should be central to the massive restoration efforts needed to overcome the global biodiversity crisis and enhancing the biosphere’s capacity to mitigate climate change. Key elements include large areas for nature, restoration of functional megafaunas and other natural biodiversity-promoting factors, synergy with major societal dynamics, and careful socio-ecological implementation.

Rapid weed adaptation and range expansion in response to agriculture over the past two centuries
Intensive agriculture creates extreme environmental changes, including soil disturbance, water and nutrient addition, and application of chemical pesticides. Kreiner et al. documented how these extreme environments have driven changes to a native North American agricultural weed, common waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus), using genomic data from paired agricultural and natural settings, as well as historic herbarium samples from both habitat types. The authors found that eastward range expansion of a distinct southwestern variety introduced new genetic diversity and facilitated rapid adaptation to agricultural environments in genes related to growth, environmental tolerance, and herbicide resistance.

Bee and non-bee pollinator importance for local food security
The general decline of non-bee pollinators calls for an urgent conservation agenda for not only buffering the alarming global loss of biodiversity, but also safeguarding food security and local livelihoods.

The relationship between chlorophyllous spores and mycorrhizal associations in ferns: evidence from an evolutionary approach
Mellado-Mansilla et al. evaluated the coevolution of chlorophyllous spores and mycorrhizal associations in ferns and their relation to habitat type using phylogenetic comparative methods. Although they did not find support for the coevolution of spore type and mycorrhizal associations, they did find that chlorophyllous spores and the absence of mycorrhizal associations have coevolved with epiphytic and waterlogged habitats.

Thermal sensitivity across forest vertical profiles: patterns, mechanisms, and ecological implications
Across vertical gradients, directional trends in the biophysical environment and leaf traits are the rule, driving variation in the physiology and ecology that have these as their underpinnings. However, uncertainty remains about how temperature sensitivity of foliar gas exchange varies across these vertical gradients. Similarly, much remains unknown about how crown exposure influences the temperature sensitivity of woody stem growth.

Careers

Here are the new posts seen this week. For all posts, see the Jobs section of Botany One.

Doctoral Researcher in Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning
The Organismal and Evolutionary Research Programme and the NorEcoFun group invite applications for a Doctoral Researcher in Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning starting in March 2023, or as agreed with the candidate. The doctoral researcher will be offered up to 4-year fully funded contract.

We are seeking a doctoral researcher to work within a project funded by Academy of Finland aiming to understand how species interactions and dispersal influence the strength of the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in boreal forests and tundra. The PhD project contributes to this overall goal expected to benefit from and collaborate with other team members. The project team consists of the PI, a doctoral researcher (successful candidate), a postdoc (to be hired), undergraduate students and research trainees.

Assistant / Associate / Full Professor in Plant Science
The Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE) is seeking to expand and strengthen research and education of the Plant Science Program at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). We invite scientists with focus on fundamental and/or applied Plant Science and Ecology to apply for faculty positions (Open Rank: Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor).

We seek ambitious and outstanding scientists in different areas of Plant Science, which include but are not restricted to Photosynthesis, Biophysics, Plant Nutrition, Stress Physiology, Ecology, Plant-Microbe Interaction, Plant Pathology, Optogenetics, Quantitative genetics, Macro-Algal Biotechnology, Metabolism and Green Synthetic Biology. Successful candidates are expected to develop world-class research programs, teach postgraduate courses, and establish inter- and multidisciplinary collaborations within the Plant Science Program and the BESE Division and across Divisions, Research Centers and Initiatives at KAUST.

BBSRC White Rose DTP studentship – Unraveling the mechanics of lateral gene transfer between grasses
The University of Sheffield is looking for a PhD student. Lateral gene transfer (LGT) is a widespread phenomenon in grasses that has moved functional genes across the family into domesticated and wild species alike. Key crops such as maize, wheat and rice have dozens of lateral acquired genes in their genomes, but how they got there and the effect they have is unknown. The student will investigate the mechanics of LGT in key crops using a combination of cutting edge experimental, genetic and computational approaches. 

ACCE DTP Studentship – Evolution in the shifting sands: understanding how beach grasses have adapted to life on the coast.
We are seeking an enthusiastic student with an interest in ecology and evolution to work on a project investigating convergent adaptation in beach grasses.

Grasses play a fundamental role in stabilising sand dunes, the most at risk habitat in Europe. They do this by colonising the beach where they are exposed to the extremes of the coastal environment. As they grow they stabilise the sand into the dune habitat which is home to a unique array of biodiversity and acts as an important natural flood defence. 

Fully-funded ACCE Biology project: The evolution of plant chemical defence
The University of Sheffield is seeking an enthusiastic student with an interest in ecology and evolution to work on a project investigating the evolution of plant chemical defence.

This project will investigate the drivers and mechanisms by which plant chemical defence evolves over time. This research will be conducted in the grass family, the most ecologically and ecological important group of plants.

PhD Studentship: Stranger Things: Self-Powered Sensing for Microclimate Observations Within a Forest Ecosystem
Many organisms live in environments where microclimatic conditions differ substantially from those measured by weather stations. Since they are close to the ground or the surface of vegetation, temperatures are influenced strongly by radiative fluxes. Reliable estimation of microclimatic conditions is key to understanding how ecosystems function and is essential for predicting the ecological consequences of climate change and pest invasions.

The key aim of this project is to design appropriate hardware that will enable the implementation of the Internet of Things (IoT) within forest ecosystems. IoT is primarily based on deploying robust self-powered sensing nodes, forming a network for data collection and transmission to establish a detailed picture of the microclimate within the ecosystem. The proposed research will develop a self-powered sensing node hardware (for microclimate observations within a forest ecosystem) that comprises a bespoke energy harvester (electromagnetic or piezoelectric) integrated with sensors. The node will be autonomous, and self-sustained with marginal human involvement.

PhD and PostDoc positions in Molecular Crop Pathology at the University of Maryland
PhD student and Postdoctoral Scientist positions are available in the Rawat lab in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture at the University of Maryland, College Park.

The positions are focused on developing molecular understanding of plant resistance and susceptibility to the fungal pathogens of wheat, including FHB, rust, and powdery mildew. The candidates must have background in molecular plant pathology and should be adept in plant molecular biology techniques such as molecular cloning, confocal microscopy, transient and stable transformation, CRISPR-based gene editing, protein isolation, western labelling, and disease assays on wheat, Arabidopsis and Nicotiana.

Assistant Professor in Plant Community Ecology
The Department of Botany and Plant Sciences at the University of California, Riverside invites applications for an Assistant Professor position in Plant Community Ecology. This is a 9-month, tenure-track, academic year appointment. The position will be available as early as July 1, 2023.

Applicants should work at the forefront of the field, with emphasis on a mechanistic approach to understanding community dynamics in an era of environmental change. We seek a plant ecologist who can interact with programs in conservation biology, invasive species ecology, ecological genomics, ecosystem and landscape ecology, and/or theoretical and computational ecology.

Preference will be given to candidates who integrate empirical with statistical, phylogenetic, or modeling approaches, and who can apply techniques such as, but not limited to, GIS/remote sensing, niche modeling, ecophysiological measurements, or stable isotopes.

Legume Pre-breeding Research Technician
Prof Donal O’Sullivan’s Crop Genetic Improvement group in the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development has an opening for a fixed-term research assistant role in faba bean pre-breeding to search for novel faba bean variants with higher levels of micronutrients such as iron and zinc, which will be addressed by conducting a large-scale biochemical screen of a collection of faba bean mutants.

Research Associate Cambridge University Herbarium (Fixed Term)
Applications are invited for a Special Collections Researcher (at the level of a post-doctoral research associate) to work on the Type specimens held at the University of Cambridge Herbarium (CGE), supervised by Lauren Gardiner (Curator, Herbarium) and Samuel Brockington (Academic Lead, Herbarium).

We are looking for applicants with an excellent practical understanding of taxonomic nomenclature, especially with respect to synonymy; an understanding of online repositories of taxonomic information and their use in identifying Type specimens, experience with correct handling of natural history collections and collections management software, such as BRAHMS; and familiarity with digital imaging protocols, standards, and equipment. The Researcher will be expected to be highly motivated and able to work independently and with initiative, while collaborating with a small but supportive team. The ability to network and liaise with external taxonomic and geographic experts as needed for Type confirmation would be welcome.

Postdoctoral Associate
SERC is seeking a postdoctoral associate with strong quantitative skills to participate in an NSF-funded study examining how the tree microbiome (i.e., the fungi and bacteria in tree leaves and roots) affects tree productivity, tree metabolomics, and tree-herbivore interactions in BiodiversiTREE, a tree diversity-function experiment. The postdoc will assist with microbiome sample collection, processing, and analyses, including bioinformatics of DNA sequence and/or metabolomic data. DNA and metabolomics data will be analyzed in both multivariate and mixed model approaches, and then ultimately synthesized with tree productivity data in structural equation models. This is a collaboration between the labs of John Parker and Melissa McCormick at SERC, Karin Burghardt at the University of Maryland, Kim Komatsu at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, Eric Griffin at Warren Wilson College, and Brian Sedio at University of Texas Austin.

Open until filled. Review of applications will begin immediately.

Lecturer in Plant Sciences
Based on a successful track record to date and research plan, the successful applicant will have made a convincing case of adding value to, and being a strategic fit into, one of our groups. All our groups are highly active in their research with all staff submitted to REF2021, which placed us in the top 26 University departments for biological sciences research power, and the top 24 for research impact. The research in the School benefits from a collegial research environment, excellent lab and computational facilities and notable year-on-year increasing success in securing research funding.

Applicants will also be required to demonstrate alignment to UKRI strategic priority areas and be able to propose an area of their research or experience that could develop into a long-term REF Impact Case Study, or contribute an element which may give added value/strength to existing areas.. Our guiding principle is “excellence in research, excellence in teaching”. Therefore, we expect the successful appointee to assist in delivering relevant and inspiring teaching to one or more of our degree courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Candidates will be required to conduct internationally excellent research demonstrated through publications in high quality peer-reviewed journals.

SCENARIO – Do unrelated plants growing in the same region look similar due to climate adaptation?
This PhD will study physical, biochemical and cytological features in three distantly related plant lineages at the species-level to search for common patterns in relation to climate adaptation. The plant lineages under study occur predominantly in the Mediterranean climatic region but members of these lineages have spread beyond this climate zone.  Common changes in features among these lineages will help understand the constraints on species imposed by climate. Your input into the project will be to test and evaluate as wide a range of characters as possible for the obvious or cryptic influence of climatic factors.

PhD candidate in Genomics of Arctic Alien Plants
The NTNU University Museum is seeking a highly qualified, ambitious and motivated PhD candidate for a project focusing on genomics of Arctic alien plants. The project will focus on target alien plant species and seek to uncover their genomic basis of adaptation to the Arctic environment and how it relates to their invasiveness.

The successful candidate will be employed at the NTNU University Museum’s Department of Natural History. The NTNU University Museum is a museum of natural and cultural history. Within the Department of Natural History, research is conducted in the fields of biogeography, biosystematics, and ecology with an emphasis on conservation biology. The candidate will be advised by Associate Professor Kristine Bakke Westergaard, and will use the herbarium, genomics laboratory facilities and computational resources at the Museum in his or her research. The work will be closely associated with a project on Arctic greening based at ETH Zürich (Switzerland), with Dr. Simone Fior as a co-supervisor.

Research Assistant Position for the Hormonal Crosstalk in Plant Development Group
We are seeking a research assistant to join the research group of Helene Robert Boisivon – Hormonal Crosstalk in Plant Development (https://boisivonlab.ceitec.cz/). Our team is focused on the role of hormones during the plant embryo and seed development and in the response to warm temperatures. For our studies, we use plant model species Arabidopsis thaliana and oilseed crop Brassica napus. We are looking for a motivated researcher to join us on a project investigating the roles of the BnaTAA1 auxin biosynthetic enzymes in Brassica napus.

Post-doctoral Position for the Hormonal Crosstalk in Plant Development Group
We are seeking a junior post-doc to join the research group of Helene Robert Boisivon – Hormonal Crosstalk in Plant Development (https://boisivonlab.ceitec.cz/). Our team is focused on the role of hormones during the plant embryo and seed development and in the response to warm temperatures. For our studies, we use plant model species Arabidopsis thaliana and oilseed crop Brassica napus. We are looking for a motivated researcher to join us on a project investigating the roles of the BnaTAA1 auxin biosynthetic enzymes in Brassica napus.

Laboratory Technician
The University of Surrey is delighted to announce an exciting opportunity within the Centre for Environment and Sustainability for a Laboratory Technician. In their role, the Lab Technician will provide essential support in the delivery of a demonstration project investigating applications of soil-free technology to biomass and bioenergy crops. This high profile multi-million pound large-scale demonstration project is part of the BEIS Biomass Feedstock Innovation programme. You will be joining a team of 15 other scientists, innovators and industry experts from the University and beyond, including Rothamsted Research, LettUs Grow, and UK Urban AgriTech (UKUAT).

Research Fellow in Novel Crop Production in Aeroponics
The University of Surrey is delighted to announce an exciting opportunity within the Centre for Environment and Sustainability for a postdoctoral research fellow position in the area of novel crop production in aeroponics. The position is available for up to 2 years, starting in February 2023 or soon after.

In this role, the research fellow would provide essential support in the delivery of a multi-million large-scale demonstration project, part of the BEIS Biomass Feedstock Innovation Programme. Led by the University of Surrey, you will be joining a team of 15 other scientists, innovators and industry experts from the University and beyond, including Rothamsted Research, LettUs Grow, and UK Urban AgriTech (UKUAT).

Research Assistant, Biological Sciences
Based at the National University of Singapore. The successful candidate will work with the project team to achieve the aim of the research project and carry out indoor, greenhouse or field research work on urban agriculture.